Stratos
by NIGHTMARE BLOON
Summary: When Spike goes into a state of depression, Twilight goes to the orphanage to find him a friend. There she meets a mutant, a mutant named Stratos. Believing that he will remain an outcast forever, it's up to one filly to change all that. Rated T for minor violence and swearing. Will probably go up in rating later. ON HAITUS FOR NOW! CHECK PROFILE PAGE FOR IMPORTANT INFO!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a story that has been in my head for a while now. And just so you know, humans and ponies do know about each other, and have shared technology with one another.**

It wasn't a regular day for Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle, on account of Spike's mental depression, was going to go to the orphanage. There's got to be a pony that Spike would like. It is supposed to be a surprise birthday present.

Spike was finally rejected by Rarity. After that, he realized all he really wanted was not a marefriend, but a friend in general. As a dragon, he wasn't really liked at school. All he wants is a filly, or colt, to be his friend. Besides the 3 crazy ones he has.

So Twilight leaves the library early in the day, and starts her trek. Well not really a trek, it's only 6 minutes away.

As she enters the building, every fillies and colts ears perk up. Except me, but she never noticed me as she walked into the door.

A blue pegasus, Mrs. Nimbus, walked up to her.

"Well hello there, anything you need Ms?"

"Sparkle, Twilight Sparkle. I would like to find a companion for my assistant, Spike." The purple mare said.

"Well then, take a look around. We hope you find one you like."

So Nimbus left, and Twilight started to roam around the orphanage. I paid little attention, as no one ever liked me. Being a mutant means a lot is different for me, fucking toxic waste.

So she wandered around, while I pulled out my miniature guitar from my backpack. My horn glowed, and it grew full size.

"Well, I'm sorry. I don't see anyone that would be great for Spike."

So Twilight was about to leave, until Mrs. Nimbus said, "Okay fillies and colts, Stratos is going to play a song for all of us."

"YAY!" Was said from all the children, as they all sat around me.

"We would love if you would stay." Mrs. Nimbus said

The mare started to turn around, and she sat next to Mrs. Nimbus on the floor. I took that as a sign to start to play.

It wasn't a real song or anything special. I just played random notes, which turned out really well.

"Who is that?" Twilight asked, watching all the fillies and colts swaying back and forth to the music. Twilight was too, it was hard not to, the notes were somewhat entrancing.

"That's Stratos, the mutant. Fell into a barrel of toxic waste at age five. Has four eyes, six legs, two dragon tails, and a gift at playing instruments. He's been here the longest out of anyone, 7 years. Too bad he can't speak." Mrs. Nimbus said.

Twilight looked confused. "Why can't he speak?"

"No vocal chords." Nimbus said, as I finished playing.

The fillies, colts, and the two mares all clapped. I felt a little pride, as I shrunk my instrument again, and put it back into my backpack.

The mare walked up to me, and smiled. I smiled back, "Would you like to come home with me Stratos?"

My eyes went wide, and my horn glowed again. This time a smoke came out of it, and it spelled out words.

"I would love to."

The mare smiled, and paid Nimbus. "Hope you enjoy your new home." The pegasus said.

I nodded, and left with the studious mare.

Soon we arrived at what I guessed what was a library. "Could you wait out here for a second Stratos?"

I nodded, as she went inside her house.

Spike was busy organizing the library. "Spike, it's your birthday. I'll clean up the library. Anyway, I have a surprise for you." Twilight said.

"Ooh a surprise!" Spike said, on instinct closing his eyes.

Twilight waved me in, and I walked in, standing next to her. "Okay Spike, open your eyes."

Spike opened his eyes to this: A colt, no mane and two green tails with blue spots. A big, sharp horn sat on my head. My fur was a dark yellow. I had six hooves, and four pupil-less eyes staring at him. Two dragon tails, which were swaying back and forth, were behind him.

Spike eyed me with curiosity, and then smiled. He walked up to me, and stuck out a hand.

"Spike."

I shook his hand, and more smoke came out of my horn.

"Stratos."

Twilight had to smile at that sight. "It's great to see you like him."

Then I could hear an alarm. The flashbacks returned, the fucking flashbacks.

They'll haunt me, until I die.

"It's time for school! Stratos... Stratos?"

I broke out of my trance, as Twilight nuzzled my side.

"You okay? You zoned out for a second."

"I'm fine." The smoke said, as it rose out of my horn.

So I waited for Spike to get his backpack, and Twilight looked down at me, major concern in her eyes.

"You sure you'll be okay?"

I nuzzled her leg, and she smiled down at me. Then Spike came running down the stairs.

He tripped, and was about to face-plant on the bottom, but my tails reached out and caught him. I sat him down on the floor again.

"Thanks." Spike said.

I smiled, and both of us left for our trek to school. This actually was a trek, about 20 minutes. Along the way, Spike started a conversation

"So, why don't you talk?"

"No vocal chords." I said through smoke, my face saddening a little.

Spike's face was... confused.

"Vocal chords are what allow creatures to speak." I explained to him.

"Oh."

So then we walked in silence, and soon the schoolhouse was in view.

"Stratos, knowing that your appearance... isn't the best, you probably are going to get bullied, picked on, all types of stuff." Spike started.

But I cut him off, as smoke rose from my horn.

"I've handled bullies before, I'll do it again."

He smiles at that, and I smile back.

He opens the door.

**CLIFFHANGER! This story will get emotional, like they all do.**

_**STAY FROSTY!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**There is a sing-a-long in this chapter, so have fun.**

So Spike walked in first, and I instantly heard some of the fillies and colts start laughing.

"Oh look, it's Spike. Why are you late, you need to change your bed sheets again?" I heard one of the fillies say.

The flashbacks came back again, and I felt it again. That feeling that got me freedom, and killed so many innocent lives.

I quickly shook them out of my head, I can't let it win. I'll lose everything.

I could still hear the kids laughing, so I walked in.

I stood next to Spike, and everypony went silent. They all stared at me, and Spike smiled.

"Thank you."

Smoke again appeared, "No problem."

"Well class, today we have a new student. I'd like to introduce you to Stratos, a mutant." Cheerilee said.

"Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Cheerilee said.

Smoke agin flew out of my horn, "My name's Stratos. Made a mutant at age 5, I was adopted by Twilight Sparkle. I'm 12, I also have a gift for instruments. Oh, and I have no vocal chords."

So I quietly walked down the center aisle of desks, when a pink filly tripped me. All of the ponies, except the teacher, Spike, and 4 others, laughed.

So I picked up her saddlebag with my left tail, spilled its contents on the floor, and threw it out of an open window.

Everyone grew silent again, as I sat in the back, right next to Spike. There was an empty seat to my left.

"Well, today class, we are going to be learning," Cheerilee started off, and then she flipped a piece of paper on a giant notepad. There was a music note on it.

"Music." Cheerilee finished.

I heard the entire class groan, except a white filly, who was sitting in the front of the class. My ears perked up at the sound of that word.

"Does anypony in this class play an instrument?"

I was the only pony to raise a hoof.

"Well then, does anypony sing?"

Nopony raised their hoof at the beginning, but after a while, that white filly from before slowly raised her hoof. After that, a gray pegasus also slowly raises his hoof.

"Hey Ms. Cheerilee, why doesn't Stratos play the piano? We don't use it anymore, and it would be wonderful to hear him play." A filly said, who right after she said it burst out laughing.

"Leave Stratos alone this instant!" Cheerilee said.

The class grew silent again, except for a few giggles from the crowd.

"Stratos, is it possible for you to play?"

I nodded.

"Well then, could you please come up to the piano and play us a song?"

I nodded again, and got out of my seat. I walked up to the front of our class, where one of the kids shot a spit ball at the back of my head.

The laughing began again, and this time my tail gently touched the back of his head.

Before it slammed his face into the desk, almost breaking his nose.

Now the class stared at the kid, as he was instantly dazed. My tail then gently pushed him, where he fell onto the floor unconscious.

My eyes started to durn darker, but I fought it back. I can't let them get to me.

Or we'll all be in trouble.

"That is it! Next person to make fun of Stratos is getting detention!" Cheerilee yelled.

Everyone was still frozen by the kid, unconscious on the floor.

The teacher then turns to me, "You may continue."

I nodded once more, and sat on the piano stool.

Then my horn began to glow, and a harmonica levitated out of my saddlebag. I levitated it over to me, and put it in front of my mouth, my magic holding it in place.

I instantly started to play the notes to a song, and only three ponies in the classroom knew about it, because only their ears perked up when they heard it.

But none of the ponies sung along, until a grey pegasus, named Rumble, in the front began to sing. (If you don't know the name of this song, you disappoint me.)

_It's nine o'clock on a Saturday_  
_The Regular crowd shuffles in_  
_There's an old man sitting next to me_  
_Makin' love to his tonic and gin_

All of the kids were swaying to the notes of the piano and harmonica. I only continued, the notes to the song displayed in my mind like it was right in front of my face. My hooves moved across the piano like they were programmed what to play.

Now Cheerilee starts to sing the next part.

_He says, "Son, can you play me a memory_  
_I'm not really sure how it goes_  
_But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete_  
_When I wore a younger man's clothes."_

The three ponies all sung this part together, like a choir.

_La la la, de de da_  
_La la, de de da da da_

Now, the white filly from before starts to sing as well.

_Sing us a song, you're the piano man_  
_Sing us a song tonight_  
_Well, we're all in the mood for a melody_  
_And you've got us feelin' alright_

I just stare at the piano, watching my hands flow across the white keys. I hear Cheerilee start up again.

_Now John at the bar is a friend of mine_  
_He gets me my drinks for free_  
_And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke_  
_But there's someplace that he'd rather be_  
_He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."_  
_As the smile ran away from his face_  
_"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star_  
_If I could get out of this place"_

Now some of the fillies and colts, Spike one of them, started to sing this verse.

_Oh, la la la, de de da_  
_La la, de de da da da_

You could now easily hear the white fillies squeaky yet angelic voice sing the next part.

_And the waitress is practicing politics_  
_As the businessmen slowly get stoned_  
_Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness_  
_But it's better than drinkin' alone_

Rumble's voice echoes throughout the next part.

_Sing us a song you're the piano man_  
_Sing us a song tonight _  
_Well we're all in the mood for a melody_  
_And you got us feeling alright_

Now the white filly sang once more.

_Now Paul is a real estate novelist_  
_Who never had time for a wife_  
_And he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the Navy_  
_And probably will be for life_

You could hear the pegasus also sing once more.

_It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday_  
_And the manager gives me a smile_  
_'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see_  
_To forget about life for a while_  
_And the piano, it sounds like a carnival_  
_And the microphone smells like a beer_  
_And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar_  
_And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"_

You could now clearly hear everyone, except the stubborn pink one.

_Oh, la la la, de de da_  
_La la, de de da da da_

And Cheerilee took it on home.

_Sing us a song you're the piano man _  
_Sing us a song tonight_  
_Well we're all in the mood for a melody _  
_And you got us feeling alright_

Then the song was over, and the ponies began to cheer. The white filly looked over at me, and smiled.  
I thought I felt that feeling again, but it wasn't that type of feeling. It was something else, something that made me feel... happy.  
I quicky smiled back, and got out of my piano seat, me bowing to the crowd.

"Wonderful Stratos, simply wonderful!" Cheerilee said.

I then took my seat in the back of the class again.

So class continued, and soon it was time to go home.

"And don't forget students, Hearts and Hooves day is only two days away!" Cheerilee's voice said.

I never cared about that day, but this time, I think I finally found a reason to enjoy it.

**If you still don't know the name of that song, your hopeless. I don't know what in, but your hopeless.**

**_STAY FROSTY!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**This is where it starts to get emotional. ENJOY.**

I arrived home with Spike, and as we walked through the door to the library.

Twilight was reading, as I expected. But when she sees me, she quickly closes her book, and comes over to embrace me.

It was a silent hug, but then she let go, and looked over at Spike. She gave him a hug to, and let go soon after.

"Hey Spike, all of us are needed to help Pinkie Pie at Sugercube Corner."

Spike smiled, but his smile went down again.

"Hey, what's wrong Spike?" I said, puting a hoof over his shoulder.

"Nothing, let's get this over with."

So me, Twily, and Spike walked over to what I guess was called Sugercube Corner.

We opened the door, and I heard the noise I knew was coming.

"SURPRISE!"

Spike face instantly brightened, and he got tackled by Pinkie Pie.

But I didn't hear any of this, as I only sat in the corner.

All the loud noise, the music in the background, it triggered a flashback.

* * *

The alarm was blaring, as they watched helplessly as a body was thrown against the glass, blood and intestines everywhere. "CLOSE THE FUCKING DOOR!" One of them screamed.

So a giant steel door closed on the room, and all of them`were relieved.

"Thank Celestia, nopony can break through that kind of steel, were safe."'

Until they here the bang.

They look at the door, and they hear bang, after bang, the door denting more and more with each hit.

"FUCK IT, RUN!"

But the door burst open, flying and slamming into the back wall. And in that room...

stood me.

* * *

I shook my head, that feeling was coming back.

"I need to get the fuck out of here." I thought, running out of the door.

The noise was slightly muffled outside, and I was relieved.

There was an alley right next to the building, so I walked into it, all the way to the end, and sat down.

I thought, thought about my life, the hell I've been through, the sister they took away from me.

What I really am.

I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a really sharp piece of glass.

How easy it would be to end it all, forget about life, and embrace death.

My eyes turned dark again, as I reached for it. I picked it up, and slowly held it to my neck.

"NO!" I thought, throwing it against the wall. It shattered into pieces, as my eyes went white again.

"GOD DAMMIT, GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" My thoughts screamed, my two front hooves clutching the sides of my head.

"Don't... fight... it. Let... it... take... control." A voice said in my head.

"No, NO!" I thought, banging my head against the wall.

It finally went away, and I slumped over, blood staining the corner of my head. I would have cried, no, I would have released a waterfall.

But mutants aren't allowed tear ducts.

I was quickly embraced, and I looked up to find the white filly from before.

"What are you doing? I saw you trying to kill yourself!"

The smoke came out of my horn, "I'm just a monster, a fucking monster. That's all I'll ever be."

She squeezes tighter, and I finally embrace back. Then she leans her head past mine, and whispers something into my ear.

"Your not a monster to me."

I just looked at her, before my head sagged again.

"You only pity me. I'm just a worthless piece of trash, not worthy of fucking existence."

She looked at me, and I let go of her, letting my head fall onto my hooves.

"If only I saved her, my sister."

The white filly only watched, as I continued.

"I fought for her, I gave it my all.

But it wasn't enough. They took her, saying that 'I wasn't fit to take care of her', and I never saw her again."

I now fell to the ground, and the filly only stared. She laid down next to me, and laid her head on my back, trying to comfort me.

"Hey, come here." The filly said, embracing me once more.

I only embraced back, as she brought me back up to a sitting position, and then gives me a quick peck on the cheek.

"You need to relax, and calm down. And know this... In my eyes, you're not a monster."

And with that, she leaves the alley, walking back into Sugercube Corner.

**Trust me, it will probably only get worse.**

_**STAY FROSTY!**_


End file.
